The episode started off with all the contestants (Alonzo wasn’t there) saying they felt bad for Peter. Then, their trainer comes in and says, “The only guy that’s not whining and moaning is Peter. He’s ready for his next shot.” They shut up fast.
They all meet next to the ring, and Sylvester gives Alonzo a necklace. The necklace means that Alonzo won’t have to fight again until there are only 8 people left. This is the first reality show where immunity really makes sense. One, he needs time to recover. Two, he won a fight and should be rewarded.
Team West gets another reward for winning they get to have lunch with George Foreman. It’s obvious they are excited, and you can see members of the other team looking through the windows wishing they got to go too. George was friendly as always, and during lunch he cautions Ishme to make a plan and stick to. He has to make sure he’s calling the shot (important later on).
The teams meet again for their challenge. This week’s challenge was in a stadium. Each team raced to the top of the stadium to get a flag. They could only head back once everyone made it to the top. There were seven flags. Each one had a puzzle piece. After each flag was retrieved, one team member had to sit out. Once all the flags were retrieved, the teams had to put their puzzle together. Team West won again.
Both teams return to the training center. Sly is in the ring sparring, which seems both cheesy and funny, at first. But when Sly goes to ask them who won, he is completely out of breath. I guess he wasn’t just moving around for show. The contenders make some jokes about it. One of them offers him Gatorade. Sly tells them to get out of there while he finishes having cardiac arrest.
Team West gets to choose who fights. Jesse immediately wants Ishme to fight Akmed because of their ongoing rivalry. However, Ishme suddenly becomes hesitant. Jesse gets pissed and offers to fight Jonathan Reid (sp?). Jesse ends up fighting Jonathan but remains mad at Ishme.
Ishme did the right thing. George Foreman had cautioned him to think things through, and he did. Fighting Akmed now, would have been a mistake. The whole point of trash talking opponents isn’t that you believe what you’re saying or you’re afraid of them. It’s that you’re a serious competitor, and you want to shake them up; you’re competing at all times even when it’s just conversation. Once you get them riled though, you have to step back, let them cool down, then come back once they are off-balance again. Fighting Akmed then wouldn’t have served Ishme’s purpose, but he needs to be careful. Akmed’s anger could continue to build and prove to be an asset. Also, Ishme could began to doubt himself and think that he’s afraid of Akmed.
Jesse beats Jonathan in the fight. It was pretty close, but Jesse pulled it off in the end.